Juicing To Benefit Your Skin Health

AUTHOR - DR. DAVID JACK

The simplest way to think about juicing is that you are drinking pure nutrition. While it’s important to eat a good amount of fruit and vegetables in our daily diet, the nutrients go straight into the bloodstream when delivered in juice form.

A skin breakout may initially occur once you start juicing because you are detoxing. The detox may show on your skin – but stick with it. Juicing gives hydration, nourishing the complexion, and ultimately making it smooth. For those struggling with acne or other aggravated skin conditions, learning to detox with the power of juicing is a must.

At Integrative Beauty, we recommend using nutrition to complement a good skincare regime. Our range of oral supplements includes powders which can be added to your favorite juice or shake. And on the quest for flawless skin, it helps to know the product which acts as potent detoxifiers.

Carrots

Carrots have Vitamin A in abundance, in the form of beta-carotene - a powerful antioxidant that prevents cells from degenerating and slows ageing. Vitamin C helps the body produce collagen, essential for skin elasticity, preventing wrinkles. Potassium plays a role in the growth of new skin cells, helping the body maintain the proper electrolyte balance, reducing acne, blemishes, scars, or dark spots on the skin.

Kale

Kale is an incredibly effective anti-inflammatory food, and an excellent source of nutrition, including Vitamins A, C, K, E, B1, B2, B3, calcium, beta-carotene, phosphorous, iron, copper, magnesium, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and the carotenoid lutein. Vitamin A promotes the repair and maintenance of the skin, and the Omega-3 fatty acids add to its anti-inflammatory properties.

Beetroot

When hoping to cure skin conditions, cleansing the blood is key and this is what beetroot does. This anti-inflammatory veggie is rich in iron, potassium, niacin, copper, and Vitamin C, in addition to manganese, magnesium, calcium, zinc, folic acid.

Parsley

Parsley is a popular herb rich in Vitamins A and C. It helps clear blemishes and maintains an even skin tone while cleansing the urinary tract, liver, and kidneys. Parsley has high levels of Vitamin K, which improves skin elasticity and speeds up the wound-healing process.

Ginger

Ginger is a power ingredient to boost the immune system. But it is also perfect for acne because it’s supercharged to reduce inflammation, and contains nutrients like magnesium, potassium, manganese, and Vitamin B6, along with anti-ageing antioxidants.

Watercress

Watercress is another vegetable which purifies the blood, making it great for healing skin conditions. One bowl of watercress salad greens contains almost half the recommended daily intake of Vitamin A. In addition, watercress gives a good dose of Vitamin C, Vitamin K, beta carotene, B Vitamins, Vitamin E, folate, iodine, calcium and more. Watercress is also full of antioxidants, great for anti-ageing, and is considered a liver tonic.

Strawberries and Cranberries

Berries are known powerful antioxidants that help fight off free radicals causing cancer. But apart from antioxidant properties, they are packed with Vitamin C, which helps produce hydroxylysine and hydroxyproline which are important in collagen production. Berries are the perfect choice of drink during winter to keep skin supple and smooth despite harsh conditions.

Lemons

Lemons are powerful citrus fruits that are effective as food and medicine. They contain Vitamin C, citric acid, and B Vitamins. The benefits relevant to clearing your skin include purifying the blood, cleansing the kidneys, and assisting in the elimination of toxins.

Here’s a dark, sweet, and tangy juice that combines a potent mix of skin energizers.

Juice together all the ingredients. When juicing herbs or leaves, sandwich them between chunks of apple, carrot or beetroot to help flush them through the juicer. Serve with a slice of lemon.

1 large apple
2 medium carrots
3cm cube ginger, unpeeled
1 medium beetroot
a sprig of fresh mint leaves only
slice of lemon, to serve (optional)